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Ubisoft has announced a brand new PC exclusive called Ghost Recon Online, which features the usual third person tactical combat but makes it free-to-play like an Asian massively multiplayer online game.

Ghost Recon Online – free fire zone

Despite borrowing the South Korean business model Ghost Recon Online is aimed squarely at its usual Western audience, with talk of three different classes of characters, customisable weapons and a lot of social features and options available in the online lobby.

Ubisoft are also promising to ‘back the game with a full set of services, including regular events and game content updates, customised content based on community feedback, and live support.’

Just like most online games in Asia, although the basic game is free there will be a myriad of microtransactions on offer to customise your character with – which is where the companies make their money.

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As you can see from the trailer the game looks just like any other Ghost Recon, with Ubisoft promising that the graphics will be at least as good as a standard retail game. The game is being developed by Ubisoft Shanghai, who worked on some of the console ports of the earlier Ghost Recon titles and the underrated Tom Clancy’s EndWar.

There was no mention of Ghost Recon: Future Warrior in the announcement, which is meant to be the next major console release but whose release dates have been falling like flies ever since it was announced. It’s currently due out sometime next spring and will hopefully be playable at E3.

‘Ghost Recon Online takes the best attributes of the Ghost Recon game franchise and brings them online, making the experience of being a Ghost accessible to millions of new players and fans,’ said Hugues Ricour, senior producer at Ubisoft.

‘This game was designed from the start to be a free-to-play experience. Our development teams are dedicated to making Ghost Recon Online a truly unique, top-quality online title.’